Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-17
PROHIBITION ADDRESS.
Continued from Sj9th Page.

Fl without parallel in the history of
d L. -jvillzeu nations of the world. The
Isrf1, to be progressive one, must be
9 load snd liberal enough to incorporate
3 Ii make its own every reform that is the
q IrtcroWth Of the experience aud wisdom
s. Il the people. As nation and people,
l. sre young, and our growth mas but
81 EirIv begun; the party created for our
a. must keep pace with our moral and
B EteUec.ual march. The party in
3 t5sIiro with the liquor traffic has once
4 Iore shown itself TO be the peoples
- and worthy of trust; it has opened
T. SoOr wide and said to the people,
flThe marty stands firmly on the principles
lrE r6'icIes so often tested and approved
- YOU confded TO our keeping; if
- s1sll, IN your sovereign capacity, add
Kenmore responsibility to our trust, we
4 tto5oe our sacred honor to deal with il
ts.~rv. and according TO your will" The
fse5aTs Of the Democratic partyhave shown
torqri-v in submitting for adoption the
.~7.rdment. The party is ready and
srrfrIfng &c carry out the prohibition
s~4Ddment il adopted, and appropriate
IA results Of the reform and make them
t. own. DO this, and all prohibition
-s-f;es will cease. The very object of
- existence will have been met, and
+Fa Democratic party will grow and be-
crme all the stronger. Let it not stand
IN the waV of advancing millions, but
cs.c1 the best thoughts, the wiscst re
{o~ms. and the Traudest plans for better
irr their conditions, and still be their
q grast standard bearer, until Justice shall
fe respected and the laws obeyed, and
& prosperity and happiness become the
i C6mmOn heritage OF all.
O. Prohibition will not prohibit, "The
! law cannot 0c enforced" The result
will be to deprive the state Of its revenue,
and edi this as profit to the liquor
dealers The business will be largely in
4 creased.
The length of this address RdmOnishes
me that 9revity is necessary in answer to
4 these points:
!. II the proposition, as stated, cor
recc.v em50dies the objections to prom
hilton under this mead, then | ask: Why
e fotle liquor men resist the amendment?
4 Yau demand the privilege to sell liquor.
= II the amendment is adopted, you will
SIT. sell il. You now pay high license
toselI liquor; if you can save this and
still sell under the act, you should favor
IL. TOu now sell all you can, but if your
BUSINESS VIII be increased by the new
Jaw. you viii be the gamers. Now, is it
4 DO. strange spirit That viii prompt the
saloon men to oppose the new law? They
are in the business and doing the best
4 they can to increase that business and
q make larger profits. Here is an OppOrtu-
1 uv offered TO enlarge the sales and in
4 crease the profits and save the tax now
i paid for the privilege. Reasonable men
4 d0n0t oppose their own interests. You
4 d0l0t believe these objections, andShere-
4 fore oppose the amendment.
e. You say the law cannot be enforced.
4 This involves great deal. If true, all
q efforts for prohibition are useless. This
+ assertion contains two propositions: 1.
Z That the power and influence of the LIQUOR
4 traffic viii deter the officers from doing
i their duty in the execution of tn law;
and the other is, that if the law officers
4 fsMtheli liquor dealers and their supporters
VIII see 10 1t that the law is a failure
This Is q grave matter, worthy of COnSid-.
Grafton by every citizen Of the state. All
admit the magnitude of the traffic and its
mighty influence over the voter, the Office
4 seeker and holder. But, is this true, that
F.. the officers Of the law in this state will
W.tuuy and deliberately violate the
solemn oath Of office and commit the vile
crime OF perjury to protect the saloon
k-tners3 The judges on the bench,
s elected for their Integrity and pTobity, in
whose hands the fortunes aud lives of our
fellow citizens are often placed, afe-ex-
nec-ed to soil the ermine violate their
. os-Is and disgrace the state, thems elves
and families for no better re8sOasthan to
help the saloon men defeat the law. Such
. may ne depended on and expected o4zthe
law officers. But it is false, and I br5nd
. il SIS foul SANDER upon the officers who.
may hold positions Of trust under that
law when adopted. Again, the threat
. goes one step further; if the Influence
4 over the voters and the power over the
officers fail to S, cure defeat, then the
second proposition viii be enforced Here
they show more truth and reason. Here,
there is more method displayed in their
madness. The Inference is clear, that
when suOther distractions fail, the liquor
. men vii. come TO the front and prove the
.a" failure; in other words, might is
. rE-,-Drute force viii win. This
menace to the liberty of
the citizen, and puts every man
10 the state VINO flvOrs law and
order, on guard. You are plainlY told
l.l can adopt the amendment and you
can pass Laws 10 carry It into effect This
-.ag all be done by the viii Of the MAORI
IS OF the people; still, the minority will
4. r-e or ruin. II Will resist the execution
. u The law snd become its vi0lRtOrs. This
Is revolution, and Is g blow at civil lib
cry. Mr.. Jefferson, TO Rhom the LIQUOR
men appeal for help, laid down the true
rl.e Of Democracy il republics to be Sab
ute aCquiesCenCe OF the decisions Of
lle maJoritV-the vital principle OF repub-
-c--trOm which there is no appeal, but
,otJrce-the vital principle and Immediate
parent Of despOtSm" Let the "true
blues" answer their threat contained in
their objections to prohibition, that the
law viii not prohibit. The supporters of
the liquor traffic are they who fear the
Democratic party is in danger, that the
freedom of conscience will be infringed,
tnat there VIII be q union of church and
state, that sumptuary laws viii be passed,
That personal liberty will be abridged,
that the liquor traffic will be increased,
That the revenues lost by the state will be
added to the profits of the liquor dealers,
and that general ruin and demora liRstlOn
VIII follow the adoption of prohibition.
Draw on the future q little. Suppose tAe
amendment adopted and the lave
passed and in force to
carry it into effect, and
the law becomes .inOperative-i; Is not
eNecuted-the condition occurs predicted
ny the saloon men, then what? Whose
fault will It be? Do you think the sup.
por.ers Of prohibition will not be willing
for the laws TO be enforced? Everyone
hGows they will demandsit. Fhen who
VIII ODDOEe it2 Whose Sn4avas+ will II